After Smallville
by writrfreak15
Summary: Repost! Very AU. Did you ever wonder what could happen after Smallville?
1. Prologue Part 1

After Smallville

**After Smallville**

**Prologue: **

**Part 1**

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**AN: **I had promised, a while back, that I wouldn't give up on this story. And for some reason, I did. I feel horrible now and am trying to redeem myself. This story is being reposted because of my guilt at abandoning it and the storyline is really good. Thanks to **Anakin's Girl 4eva** for beta reading this chapter. Appreciate it, a lot!

**Summary: **Did you ever wonder whatcould happen after Smallville?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any characters of _Smallville_. I'm just

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Lois parked Chloe's red BMW buggy parallel to the white picket fence and jumped out, soon followed by Chloe who continued to give her cousin nervous glances as they made their way to the farmhouse. Lois had become intent on telling Clark her real feelings for him and as much as Chloe tried to discourage her, there was nothing the blonde could say that would change Lois' mind. Chloe was sure that this could only end in tears…and it was unlikely that they would be Clark's.

She couldn't imagine Clark reciprocating Lois' feelings at this point in his life, and she didn't want her cousin to get hurt…again. Deeper still however, if Clark did return Lois' feelings, then Chloe would be deeply concerned with her cousin's intimate involvement with the 'great' Clark Kent and the secret life he led behind closed doors. The more she thought on it though, it became apparent that the feeling wasn't concern at all...no…it was jealousy.

Chloe simply wasn't prepared for any of this. On some level, she enjoyed being the one that Clark confided in, the one with whom he shared his super powered secret and his alien history, the one with whom she shared his darkest fears and unraveled the Luthor's tangled web of lies with. They were a team, a duo and the feeling of 'two's company but three's a crowd' was growing in her mind. If Lois found out this secret and joined in their escapades, she was scared that they would only have eyes for each other and she would just fade into the background.

Her uncertainty only increased as they advanced nearer to the back door, those thoughts and more swirling through her head until she couldn't just stand by and watch anymore.

"Lois." Chloe called out, watching as Lois stopped but didn't answer and didn't turn around. Despite this, Chloe knew that she was listening from the way her cousin turned her head slightly back over her shoulder. "Are you sure about this?"

For a moment, nothing but silence and stillness fell between the two girls, and Chloe could practically see the cogs working in Lois' mind before she slowly turned and faced her younger cousin.

"Yeah, I think I am. I'm tired of playing around with my feelings, Chloe. I've been hiding this for too long." She sighed. "And now that I know that Clark loves me too, it will be easier to tell him."

Chloe could do nothing but weakly smile uncertainly. /Chloe had overheard Mark, a new friend, giving Clark advice about a 'situation' in the Talon a few weeks before college graduation. Clark rarely ever asked for consultation about any future decisions he had to make, and even if he did he normally consulted Chloe. That little known fact had made Clark who he now was. What was even more surprising was discovering his 'situation' had been that he was falling in love with Lois Lane. She was almost positive her ears were deceiving her!

"Yeah you would think it would be…but don't you think it might be a little too early Lois, I mean with….Mr. Kent's death and everything…" Chloe broke off her sentence, not knowing how to finish it and having to swallow hard as she averted her gaze. Jonathan Kent had died of a heart attack just a few days ago and Clark had never been the same again since. He had become distanced, had pulled out of his course at University to work full time on the farm or more, Chloe suspected, to hide there. Looking up again, she could see Lois biting her lip and knew she may be making headway with her older, stubborn headed and determined cousin.

"This is the time where…"

"Raw emotions break out…." Lois interrupted, pausing before saying quietly "…but don't you see why this is the perfect time to tell him, Chloe? I know, he might act a little uncaring right now but he'll come around right?"

Chloe sighed and shrugged in defeat, Lois truly was intent on doing this, and there was absolutely nothing now that Chloe could do – no matter how much of a mistake she thought it might be. Lois, seeing this sign of submission turned with a nod and knocked on the door.

It wasn't long before both girls were being greeted by a large smile from Mrs. Kent. As much as the tragedy saddened Martha, she refused to be let others see she was so put down by it. Martha knew Jonathan would have wanted her to carry on as always and keep the positive memory of him alive…Lois always commended her for her strength and she suspected a lot of that strength had grown from being with Jonathan for so long.

"Lois…Chloe…" The redness and the missing sparkle in her eyes suggested something far from happiness, although she did her best to be cheerful and inviting to both of the visitors. "Come in."

Chloe tried to give Lois a subtle warning stare as they headed inside, knowing Lois' mouth often ran itself before her brain could catch up with what it was saying. However Martha, being as observant as she was, narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Is something wrong?"

"No." Lois quickly cut in before Chloe could say anything, smiling. "Um…do you know where Clark is?"

Chloe shook her head behind Lois' back. She could see that Martha wasn't in a good a state as she tried to portray, but Lois as blunt as ever didn't even bother to ask about her and how things were going, jumping straight to the point. She loved her cousin, but sometimes she could be so painfully blunt.

"Yes…He…He's in the barn." Martha replied, her voice wavering a little as she looked to Chloe more than Lois. Of the two girls, Chloe had become a lot closer to the family and she needed someone now to express her concerns for Clark to, someone she knew could talk to him in the way Clark needed. "He hasn't come down for a long time…He refuses to eat and he can hardly sleep." She sighed, trying to gather her strength before continuing, failing though as tears welled in her eyes. "The worst part is that he won't talk to me."

Lois bit her lip and averted her gaze, while Chloe nodded and reached out, taking Martha's hand and squeezing it softly. Martha shouldn't have to be facing this alone, why couldn't Clark see that? She had already lost her husband and right now the last thing she needed was to be feeling like she was losing her son too…something had to be done. But before Chloe could ask if there was anything she could do, Lois once more butted in.

"I'll talk to him." She stated confidently, turning quickly and starting to head out to the barn. Chloe bit her lip, noticing Mrs. Kent's worried gaze following and quickly hurried after her with an apologetic smile, grabbing Lois' arm and pulling her aside. She hissed quietly to her.

"Lois…I really don't think it's your place to…" Chloe began, but once again Lois interrupted her. She could see her opportunity, and she was going to take it.

"Look, I don't like seeing Mrs. Kent suffering anymore than you do because of Clark; he needs to know when enough is enough." She hastily stepped outside before Chloe could comment any further.

The barn had always quiet and desolate but today, it seemed to have taken on a much stronger and deeper effect. It seemed as if the barn could feel the same emotions that had been emanating throughout the Kents' household after Jonathan's death….like something vital was missing from it. Lois looked around and frowned, before heading up to the hayloft, Clark's little hideaway where she knew Clark would be. Sure enough, he was standing by the makeshift window, gazing up at the sky solemnly with her back to her. Coughing a little, she said with her arms folded across her chest, a small teasing smirk playing on her lips.

"You know Clark; this place looks a little bleak and boring. I think you're starting to rub off on it."

It wasn't meant as an insult, rather as a playful remark, a challenge for Clark to say something witty back…but Clark only sighed and shook his head as he closed his eyes. This was something he seriously didn't need right now, he just wanted to be as alone as he felt.

Lois' arms dropped to her sides as Clark only sighed, frowning a little and seeing now exactly what Chloe and Martha had been saying…Clark wasn't himself…

"Clark? Are you okay? This is the part where you say 'It has to be your doing, Lois….'"

"Lois, I just don't need this right now, alright." Clark said in a firm, almost icy tone, hoping that would make her leave him alone, as it had done with his mom and Lana, as much as he hated to do it. Lois however didn't seem to take the hint so easily, only nodding understandably and standing beside him instead.

"I know Clark…but your mother's worried sick about you. She's already miserable because of your father's death and she doesn't need the same thing from you." Gently, she laid her hand on his shoulder. "Clark…you have to comfort her…you…"

She soon broke off as Clark suddenly looked up, his jaw tight and a burning look in his eyes – a fire and anger fueled by a grief and despair he wouldn't let himself feel. He shrugged her hand off and turned to look at her properly.

"And what about me, Lois? Who comforts me, huh?" He retorted. The tears were about to shed but he withheld them, refusing to be weak. "I'm not always the strong, confident, able to do anything person everyone thinks I am Lois!"

"But you have to be…for your mother…you know your dad wouldn't…"

"DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT MY DAD AND WHAT HE WOULD WANT!" Clark roared back with ferocity, something Lois had never seen in the usually docile Clark Kent before.

She knew his anger wasn't really directed at her, but he needed an outlet. She didn't understand why Clark seemed to be taking his father's death as something he needed to deal with alone, or why he was pushing everyone away – including the ones who loved him the most – but she could understand his grief and knew he needed to let some things out.

"What do you know about losing someone anyway, Lois huh? Or about being strong when the only person who helped you be that has suddenly disappeared?!" Clark snapped at her, turning away from her again and looking out to the clouds that blurred in his vision with the tears he refused to let fall. What he didn't expect however, was the soft reply he got in return.

"You don't want to go there, Clark." Lois muttered distantly from behind him. Clark frowned a little and turned his head to look at her skeptically. Seeing she had caught his attention, Lois continued in a soft tone of voice – one that very few ever heard. "My mother was always the one who tried to hold the family together. My father was never home and when he was, he was always busy. My sister," she chuckled, "she had her own life but my mother was the one who was always there for me. She was the one who always explained our father's absence. She was the one who comforted me when I was sad, lonely…heartbroken…the fact is that she was always there." She gazed out at the beautiful sunset that seemed to put an orange blanket over the sky.

"When she died, I felt so alone. When I was sad, no one was there to comfort me. When I was angry, no one was there to sedate me. When I was heartbroken, no one was ever there to tell me that it wasn't the end of the world. No one. It was just me."

Silence reigned between them, Clark not knowing what to say and feeling slightly awkward on top of everything else. Not only had he made himself feel worse now, but he had brought Lois down with him. He glanced outside again at yet another sunset that marked the end of another day without his father, his guiding light…what was once beautiful was now tarnished to him…it was no longer something to be enjoyed…but just a reminder that time continued on for everyone else while to him it seemed to just stand still. He glanced up again as Lois started speaking again.

"So, I do know what it feels like to lose someone and I know damn well how it is when you have to be the strong one…cause its what I have been all my life..." She bitterly finished.

The empty silence remained between them, Clark staring at her apologetically for a while before turning his head away again. Okay, so maybe Lois knew more about losing someone than he had previously understood…but what she didn't know was how to deal with the grief you caused yourself. He had caused his father's death, if he had just accepted Lana's then his father would still be here…that was something no one could ever understand, the guilt that would permanently underlie the memory of that night. Swallowing gently and - not removing his gaze from the clouds which he wished he could fly to - he said quietly.

"Lois, I think you should leave."

Lois's jaw dropped softly as she looked at him, as the words hit her ears...after all that…after all that, he still wanted to be left alone? She could relate to his problems, she could comfort him…but he was pushing her away just like he always did. Her eyes flashed with anger and frustration that Clark didn't see before she turned on her heels and made her way down the stairs. Upon reaching the last step, she turned again and said to his back before retreating hurriedly down the rest of the stairs.

"You know Smallville…sometimes it doesn't hurt to let other people in…especially when they understand at least some of what you're going through…Your only human…you can't do everything alone."

--

Chloe worriedly paced the kitchen floor, glancing over at Martha who was sipping her tea silently and looking dismally into space. Chloe sighed and had to admit, to a degree Lois was right, something did have to be done about Clark's behaviour. It was eating Martha up and what Clark doing wasn't healthy either…but then again she had a horrible feeling that Lois was not going to be the one to be able to sort him out. She looked at her watch for the third time; it had been around ten minutes since Lois went up to the barn. God only knows what happened there and Chloe was very anxious to find out.

They both heard the loud slam of the front door and, not missing a beat, Martha and Chloe rushed into the living room to be greeted by Lois smiling at them… Chloe however noticed the slight glimmer of tears in her eyes.

"Lois….what happened?" Chloe asked hesitantly but softly. Her anxiety for news was suddenly demolished when she saw Lois's miserable demeanor. Lois just shook her head and headed to the kitchen.

"Lois, you're crying." Martha said just as gently, handing her a tissue. She tried not to sound too surprised though to say she wasn't would have been a lie…she had never seen Lois cry. "What did he say to you? What did you do?"

Lois set her mouth in a grim line and angrily wiped her tears away.

"You were right, Chloe." She said, trying to maintain her strong voice even though anyone could tell it was dangerously near to cracking. "It wasn't my place at all."

Martha tried to comfort her again but once more Lois shook her head with a slight sniff, looking to Chloe. "I…I want to go…I'm sorry Mrs. Kent"

Martha nodded understandingly and gently thanked her for at least trying with Clark, walking them outside to bid them farewell. "Bye, Mrs. Kent." Chloe called before she and Lois re-entered her car.

Martha watched as the car disappeared around the bend with a small shake of her head. It was one thing to ignore her and his friends, but to go as far as to upset them when all they were trying to do was help….that was taking things too far. Jonathan wouldn't have let him get away with it and she wasn't about to either.

Sighing, she headed to the barn slowly, trying to figure out what she was going to say to her son. She was determined to find out what Clark had done to hurt Lois, but at the same time she didn't want to make his feelings any worse, didn't want to push him away any further. One thing was for certain though, this time she wasn't going to let Clark ignore her.

She entered the barn with a swallow, it still to her smelled like Jonathan's aftershave, still held lingers of his presence from the coat still hanging on the peg to the wood shavings lingering on the floor from his last project. Biting her lip, she called out softly to the rafters and the loft, hoping Clark would listen to her.

"Clark, sweetheart, I need to talk to you."

She didn't hear a response… he was ignoring her again.

"Clark, please."

Again, no response. Shaking her head, she climbed up the creaking old stairs.

"Clark…"

She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw no one in the loft.

"Clark?" She called out.

She turned around but no one was behind her, she hurried over to the couch but he wasn't lying on it. She went back down the stairs to check all around the barn…There was no one there…she was alone.

Swallowing hard with tears welling inside her eyes for what had to be the thousandth time in the past few days; she ran inside her house and hurried up the stairs to Clark's room. She knocked on the door and asked with a wavering voice.

"Clark…Clark, are you there...Clark please…"

She opened the door…The room was empty. She hurried down to the bathroom, her and Jonathan's bedroom, the guest room and back down to the kitchen…There was no one in any of the rooms…there was no one in the house.

She ran outside and called for him, screaming out his name desperately as she ran through the corn fields…but there was no answer.

He wasn't there.

She sat down on the steps to the porch and put her face in her hands, sobbing hard as tears rolled down her cheeks. She couldn't help it, she couldn't stand it. The loneliness that was encroaching on her life was suffocating her. She didn't want to be strong anymore, she couldn't strong anymore. She wanted Clark back…but more than anything she wanted to feel arms around her again, holding her close and whispering in her ear that everything would be okay. She wanted to hold on and rest her head against a strong muscular chest, she wanted to run her hands through sandy blonde hair…she wanted words of love and protection to sing through her ears like the summer breeze…more than anything…she wanted Jonathan back.

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	2. Prologue Part 2

After Smallville

**After Smallville**

**Prologue:**

**Part 2**

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**AN: **Thanks to all the reviews that I received!! Be warned that this chapter is very AU. And to all my old readers, there are some changes to the story so, don't be afraid to re-read.

**Disclaimer:** See chapter one.

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"For the friends of Jonathon Kent…"

Sighing, Lois's gentle - albeit bored - gaze lifted to the sky. The funeral was the slowest one she had ever been to and the pastor had been droning on far too long for her liking. Well, she shouldn't even be criticizing him; she hadn't been to many funerals.

"Lord, we ask you again to comfort the loved ones through this terrible ordeal…"

She wasn't completely void of emotion, she could feel the tragic and depressing atmosphere – it seemed to choke her – she just couldn't help but feel that Jonathan Kent wouldn't have wanted this. In the short time that she had known him, he was nearly always cheerful and upbeat. Very rare was it that she saw him without a smile on his face...the scene before her did nothing to reflect that. Not even the weather seemed to be able to represent the sunshine colour of his hair as she felt a tiny drop of water land on her neck. Looking up, she noticed that the clouds were becoming even darker.

"Oh, Jonathan…" Martha wailed beside her, making Lois jump as she was sprung from her wandering thoughts.

In an instant, the rain poured and everyone opened their black umbrellas in a hurried fashion. Briefly, Lois entertained the idea of the pastor actually cutting the sermon short…however he obviously didn't have the same idea. Even with the rain pelting heavily on the soil, the pastor still didn't quit his unnecessary talk. To Lois, it was all just getting too depressing and his droning voice wasn't helping matters, so she turned her attention to the coffin. It was a gleaming innocent white colour, patterned with intricate gold designs – it looked every bit as expensive as it was…everyone in town had contributed a large amount of money for the funeral. Jonathan was a dear friend of the whole community, and his death was felt by everyone. Even the infamous Lex Luthor was attending, looking solemn and grave as usual…she had to wonder just how much he had had to do with the payment of the funeral…and couldn't help but wonder if the community had paid for the coffin at all.

_Whoosh_.

The sound was unmistakable to Lois and it broke her from her thoughts once more to look to see what caused it. But when she surveyed the funeral, she saw nothing that could have made the sound. She narrowed her eyes a little in confusion before shrugging mentally and returning her attention to the pastor's tedious though beautiful sermon.

_Dad…_

Her ears perked up and she looked around again… it was barely a whisper, but somehow she had heard it…and she recognized the voice in which the whisper was said.

"Clark?"

She couldn't see him in front of her so she turned around once more but again saw nothing. It _was_ Clark; she was so sure of it. She weaved her way quietly through the sea of black to get a better look around, until she finally spotted a figure in the distance. It was raining heavily and the scene was rather fuzzy, but she was positive that it was Clark. She started walking towards him to get a better look, and as she got closer and closer the sight was confirmed and she broke into a run towards the young man.

He didn't notice Lois as she did, all his thoughts were on Jonathan and the guilt that was eating away at him slowly.

"Clark, you're back!" Lois shouted, causing him to jump just a little and look to her. She noticed however that while she had indeed caught his attention; his stare was blank in the few seconds he looked at her, before averting his gaze again.

"Clark, look at me!" She demanded...he disobeyed….that was certainly something that Lois wasn't used to…she nearly always got her own way, one of the advantages of being a military brat. "Look at me, dammit!" She pushed him lightly as she ordered him again. This time, though he didn't look at her, she managed to drag a sigh from him.

"Lois…"

"Your mother needs you Clark! Who the hell do you think you are, running away from your problems? Whatever happened to the _brave_ Clark Kent everyone always bragged about, the one who'd rush and put himself in the line of fire to save everyone else? Where the hell is he? She needs you now, so bring him out!"

For a moment, Clark just remained silently staring down at the funeral scene below him.

"Lois, I have to go…"

Now it was Lois' turn to be stunned into silence…on the day of his dad's funeral, when his only remaining family needed him the most…the great Clark Kent was running away.

"No! Clark, she needs you now, more than ever!" Lois shouted at him, though she saw it didn't move his thoughts and intentions one inch. She didn't know why he was rejecting his mother, why he refused to help her…but she had one more thing she could try…one thing that would mean breaking down her hardened walls to reveal.

"Clark, listen to me…" She moved his head to make him look to her. "I….I need you…." She desperately remarked. It was then that he properly looked at Lois, his ice blue eyes softening and melting a little before he reached out and gently held her hand.

Lois smiled up at him, biting her lip softly. As inappropriate as the day was to be doing this, she could see no better time in the future to say this…this could be the only thing that stopped him running away and leaving her for who knew how long.

"Clark….I…"

But once more Clark wasn't listening, lost in his own thoughts again and suddenly Lois noticed the hardness in his eyes return. Lois's smile soon vanished, dreading the next words she knew he would utter.

"I have to go, Lois." Clark muttered and dropped her hand like it had scalded him. The pain of his rejection hit her hard…he wouldn't even stay for her…the one he clamed to love. Lois's eyes filled with confusion and sorrow and she shook her head up at him with her jaw set.

"Clark, no! You can't!" She partially pleaded with him; she was upset but as usual didn't want to show it. She looked over her shoulder to where Martha was to hide the tears that were forming in her eyes from him. "What about your mother, what's she going to do without you?! What about your dad's farm?!"

She was pulling everything she could think of to appeal to him now to try and get him to stay before she heard the unmistakable _Whoosh_. She turned sharply…Clark was suddenly nowhere to be seen. She clenched her jaw tightly again as a tear dripped down her cheek, shaking her head as she tuned back into the pastor's sermon again, looking back to the dismal scene before her.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…" The pastor droned on. The brilliant white coffin was lowered into the dark damp ground. Martha's wail competed with the rain… Jonathan Kent was finally at peace, but left behind a turmoil and grief in his son that was threatening to rip apart everything he had ever loved.

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	3. Prologue Part 3

**After Smallville**

**Prologue**

**Part 3**

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**AN: **I'm glad that people are reading this...some are re-reading it. But I'm glad that I'm hearing some feedback. Unfortunately, my beta wasn't available to edit this and I didn't want to prolong the wait so I'm uploading it. So, I'm saying sorry in advance for any grammatical errors you see.

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"The shack is just up ahead." Bob said to the driver. He reloaded his gun receiving a glare from Lois Lane, Lucy Lane's sister. He grinned at her. "I'm not going to shoot her," he assured her. "just mess with her pride." His grin faded when she wasn't relaxing. "Lois, what is it?"

"Do you see me joking, Bob? You think all of this is a joke?!" She attacked him. Bob raised an eyebrow at her but didn't reply. He knew when to stop. Lois closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. She was _not_ in the mood for all of this. She couldn't stand the fact that chasing Lucy all over Europe had proved fruitless. She had a job interview for the _Daily Planet_. Those kinds of opportunities don't come very often. They said she could come in anytime. But how long would that offer stand?

She had to stop thinking about her crappy future. Now, tonight, her thoughts would only be on finding Lucy and returning her to school. She only had one more year of college. If she could just keep out of trouble, she could graduate in no time. That's what General Lane had commanded Lois to do. Keep her out of trouble until school ends.

Whatever she wanted to do mess up her life after was her own business.

Lois had concluded that part on her own.

She opened her eyes and saw Bob's timid expression. Despite the circumstances, she cracked a smile at him. "Bob, I'm sorry. You're just trying to help me, right?" He nodded slowly. She had been introduced to Bob at the start of the chase. He was a joker and always tried to brighten up the mood when the chase, at times, looked dim. He had completed his police training at a very young age of 23 and had been assigned to the streets ever since.

Chasing Lucy Lane had been quite a challenge for him, he had to admit, but that never stopped him from being optimistic. That was what annoyed Lois. His abnormal optimistic attitude. "Lois, I will always help you. You've grown on me and I can't just stop being nice to you." He grinned. Lois rolled her eyes at him. True, they were now friends but that didn't hinder the fact that he somewhat freaked Lois out.

The car stopped and Lois shifted her gaze to the ruinous house her sister had picked for a hideaway. Lois shook her head in disbelief. _Never thought you'd stoop so low, Luc_. She thought as she got out of the car. The chase was carefully wearing away Lucy and her henchmen, but this was too much for even Lois to handle. "Are you sure this is the place?" She asked the driver. He nodded.

They had received a source that Lucy was hiding in Paris and she was, much to Lois's surprise, alone, without her henchmen. Lois wanted to get right on with the source but Bob was hesitant. He didn't feel right about the situation. Lois had ignored his warnings and eventually, much on Lois's insistence, the two booked a plane to Paris leaving the police to smoke out her other companions.

Bob surveyed the small house carefully. It was just very unlikely that Lucy Lane would be hiding out in a house like this. And he still couldn't shake off that feeling. Lois looked at him. "Are you okay?" She asked. Bob looked at her and smiled.

"Of course." He replied. He drew out his gun and Lois gave him a stern glare. "Lois, we have to be on guard. Who knows what might happen?" They walked cautiously to the door, Bob in front. He kicked the door open and they both walked inside.

"Lucy!" Lois shouted. "It's me, Lois! You have nowhere to run anymore! Your men have been captured, Luc. Just come out and you won't get hurt." They walked through the halls carefully, peeping into bedroom after bedroom, yet finding no one. Lois looked at Bob questioningly who gave her a slight shrug. "Lucy!" Lois shouted once more. She entered the bedroom and saw clothes that were haphazardly thrown on the floor. "There's no one here!" Lois exclaimed. "She left!" Bob walked back outside.

The driver of the car looked up from his magazine. "Found her?" Bob shook his head.

"I guess the source was tapped and she left." He sighed and leaned on the hood of the car. "Man, we were almost sure that…" He stopped abruptly when he heard a faint ticking sound. "Do you hear that?" The driver shook his head. Bob's eyes observed the front of the house. "It seems so close." His eyes shifted to the side of the house where he saw a small bomb attached to it! He straightened up. "Lois, we gotta get out…" She wasn't beside him. Lois was still inside! He ran toward the house. "Lois, get out of the house! Lois….!" But it was too late….

_BOOM!_

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Lois gasped as her eyes flew open. The ground was shaking and debris was flying all around her uncontrollably. But, she was safe. She felt warm, strong arms clutch her tightly. She could feel a body over her, protecting her from the harm. Blue eyes stared after her, questioningly. She saw a face, a handsome face, a face somewhat familiar…

"Clark…?" She whispered. She reached out to touch him but he had released his hold on her. The explosion was over and the scene had become still and silent. She looked up at the man who was now kneeling beside her. Before she could say anything, he put his finger to her lips.

"You're safe now…Lois." He whispered in her ears.

He then super sped away.

Lois's eyes widened. That couldn't have been Clark. That just couldn't have been him! She tried to sit up, but her world began spinning. She was losing focus. The explosion and the strange encounter left her lightheaded and exhausted. "Lois!" She heard Bob shout before slipping away into unconsciousness.

xxx

Chloe Sullivan rushed down the halls of St. Patrick's Hospital, found Room 207 and entered it. "Bob, you are so weird!" She heard Lois exclaim. Chloe's anxiety melted when she saw Lois's condition. Her cousin smiled at her and she returned it.

"Hey, you're feeling better." Chloe said to her. Lois nodded.

"Yeah, the doctor said that I could go home this afternoon." She replied. "But I have to get plenty of rest." She looked over at Bob. "And you're going to help me, aren't you, Bob?"

"Of course." He smiled. Suddenly, his beeper went off. He took it out. "Unfortunately, not now. I've got some emergency business up at Truney Avenue. Not Lucy related." he added quickly when he saw Lois's 'I want to come too' face. "Rest." He told Lois. "I'll check on you later." He kissed Lois on the cheek. "Bye Chlo." He said before leaving.

"So, are you still continuing the chase?" Chloe asked. She had always warned Lois about how dangerous it was getting mixed up with Lucy and her liaisons. But Lois had always stubbornly ignored her warnings. "Because I don't think you should, Lois…"

"Just say I told you so. It'd be better for both of us." Lois said folding her arms. "And I'm not going to give up, Chloe, until she gets out of trouble and goes back to school."

"You can't always listen to your father…" Chloe stopped when she saw Lois's incredulous stare. "Okay, you never listen to your father, so what makes this command so different from the others?"

"I don't now Chlo." Lois sighed. "I just think I'm responsible for Lucy's actions." She noticed Chloe's exasperated stare. "I'm sorry but that's how I feel. You know that." Chloe gave in. There was no way in getting through to the girl. "By the way," Lois smirked. "Since when does Smallville super speed?" Chloe quirked an eyebrow.

"Lois…what are you talking about?"

"Clark was the one who saved me, Chloe." Lois said. The smirk was gone and her serious tone returned. She ignored Chloe's skeptical face. "I'm telling you the truth, Chlo. Clark is in Paris. I know you weren't aware of that," she continued. "But I know that you know why Clark super sped down the road after he saved me."

Chloe was speechless. There was no getting around this. Lois was intent on finding answers. She would stop at nothing to get them. Lying to her would only be a waste of breath. She was sure of that. But could Lois be trusted with it? "Chloe," Chloe looked up at her cousin, "you got a lot of explaining to do."

"Lois…you can't tell anyone…and if you do…I will be forced to kill you." . Chloe's intense gaze observed Lois's reaction: she was surprised by Chloe's words and her face had become pale. Just how serious was this? Chloe drew in a deep breath and began. "Clark's not from around here…."

xxx

Chloe prepared a cup of coffee for herself and sat down. What had she done? Clark would never forgive her. But she had to tell Lois. She would have tried to find information elsewhere. When Chloe revealed everything, Lois was dumfounded. Everything that was a mystery with Clark Kent became clearer, the puzzle was now solved. She had seen a whole new side of him.

Lois's reaction brought back memories of the first time Chloe saw Clark display his powers. She was shocked but had kept it under wraps, maintaining their friendship. He would have told her the right time and she would be ready for it. It may have surprised her, yes, but it wasn't as if she hadn't expected it. She knew Clark was special the day she met him. There was always something off about Clark Kent.

Chloe was about to take a sip of her coffee when there was a knock on her door. She opened it and did a double take. Clark Kent was at her door, smiling at her. Again, for the second time today, she was speechless. "Chloe." He simply said.

"C-Clark." She stammered. "I…I haven't seen you in…years." She said. "You look…" She studied his attire. He was no longer a man of plaid; he wore a black shirt and dark blue jeans. "the same." She said. He laughed at this.

"Can I come in?"

"Yes, you can." Chloe said eagerly. She was dying to talk to the man. "So, uh…how's life?" Clark smiled.

"It's been great, Chlo." He said. "I mean, the first couple of months after leaving Smallville were hard but," he looked up at her. His blue eyes were shimmering with happiness. "I've adjusted."

"What are you doing now?" Chloe asked.

"I studied at the University of Paris and now have a degree in Journalism. So, what do you think I'm doing?" He replied. Chloe smiled at him and before she knew it, she was drawn into a tight hug. "I miss you Chloe. I miss mom…I miss Lois…" Chloe immediately broke away from the hug, leaving Clark baffled. "Chloe, something wrong?"

She bit her lower lip nervously. "I have to tell you something, Clark." She said. "And I think you might want to sit down." He looked at her warily before obeying. "Um…" Chloe started pacing. "You see Clark," She stopped pacing to look at him. "Lois knows."

Clark shrugged his shoulders. "Knows what?"

"That you're not from here." She sad quietly. The colour drained from Clark's face and fear built up in his eyes.

"What?" He said, trying not to believe it.

"I had no choice and she was suspicious about the whole super speeding trick that she witnessed after you saved her." Chloe said. Clark was already standing. "Why did you do that, Clark?"

"She was dazed; I thought she wouldn't really understand what she saw." He defended himself.

"Well, you should know that Lois Lane never misses a thing. She does aspire to be a journalist." Chloe said. Clark sat down, defeated. "So, what are you going to do?" She asked.

"I'll have to talk to her." He replied.

xxx


	4. Prologue Part 4

After Smallville

**After Smallville**

**Prologue**

**Part 4**

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**AN:** Well, thanks for the feedback to the last chapter. And I want to thank my beta reader **Anakin's Girl 4eva**. I don't give her enough gratitude. Without her help, this story would run as smoothly as it should.

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one.

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Lois opened the door and entered the small apartment with a relieved sigh, leaning back against the door and closing her eyes. It may only just be morning, but the day had already proved stressful for her… she had just learnt Clark's biggest secret. Although she could understand why he didn't tell her, she was still a little upset that he hadn't revealed it to her himself after the five years that she had known him. She had thought those five years had developed a close trust between them, but obviously this wasn't the case. To Lois, it felt like the five years she 'knew' him were completely pointless.

Opening her eyes again, she glanced around before dropping her bags on the floor, kicking off her shoes and going immediately to the kitchen. Retrieving a bottle of scotch from one of the cabinets and a glass, she poured, what she considered to be, a well deserved drink for herself. Raising the glass to her lips, she could almost feel the alcohol tingle against her lips and was fully prepared to drink it…when the answering machine caught her eyes, the little red light flashing…indicating a missed phone call. Sighing, she knew she needed to be able to think straight, thought better about downing the drink and clamped the glass to her forehead instead with her eyes closed once more. She was still in a fair amount of pain, and the pills the doctor had given her weren't really helping with it. Oh, yes, this was the beginning to a _great_ day. Glass still in hand, she crossed to the answering machine and pressed the button, hearing the usual beep before…

_"Lois, call me okay? It's Bob. I think we have a lead to your sister's whereab…"_ Lois had groaned as soon as the familiar voice rang through the apartment and was quick to press the 'off' button. It wasn't that she didn't love and worry about her little sister, but the last thing she wanted to do at the moment was go on another wild goose chase after Lucy. If the little brat didn't want to be found, then Lois couldn't see the point in wasting her own time finding her, a smirk crossing her face as the thought passed through her aching head.

_Dad would _love_ to hear that_.

She could almost hear her father shouting that same boring lecture at her about responsibility to her family, and how she was supposed to be the good role model for Lucy to look up to…the role model that their mother should have been to them. Instantly her mood sobered as her mother crossed her mind, looking back at the answering machine as she bit her lip and could almost hear her mother urging her to keep trying. With yet another heavy sigh, she turned the machine back on and Bob's voice started up again, stating that Lucy was still in Paris but hiding away at Leesa's house. Leesa was Lucy's best friend and she was spending time in Paris with her family, just why they hadn't thought to check in there before Lois couldn't and didn't really even try to fathom. The only reason that place had come up was because they had tapped Leesa's phone hoping that Lucy would call there. The ending of the message soon snapped Lois from her thoughts.

_"We're going over there later. Are you up for it? Please call."_

The beep sounded again and the message was finished, the apartment plunged into blissful, calming silence. For a few minutes, Lois allowed herself to just take in the atmosphere she couldn't help but miss before calling Bob and telling him she would be ready in a few minutes. Discarding the untouched drink, she carried her bags to the bedroom and set them down where they would be out the way – the last thing she needed would be to trip over them once she got back in.

"Let's just get this over with." She mumbled tiredly to herself before leaving the tranquil apartment.

xxx

Chloe had told Clark that Lois was staying at the Red Motel, and soon found herself explaining the reason why Lois was there. The whole story about how Lucy was still on the loose and Lois trying to help the police capture her, how they had been chasing her for a while now in Europe and were now hoping that Paris was the last stop.

"She might not be there, tonight. Maybe you should call in the morning?" She had suggested, mainly to see if she could convince Clark to reveal the reason he left Smallville.

She knew, as most people had already guessed, it had something to do with his father's death but she also knew from experience with him that there had to have been other reasons. The first thought that popped into her journalistic mind was whether there were other secrets he was hiding…had something that happened that had caused the quick departure? Clark would never want any of the others to worry about him and more than likely if something had arisen, he would decide to take matters into his own hands…

That had 'Clark' written _all_ over it.

If she was honest, Chloe couldn't help but be a little amused at how much she knew about Clark Kent. She always knew where Clark would be and what he was most likely to do next. Sometimes, she had to admit, it scared her…

"No, Chloe, this needs to be discussed tonight." Clark replied, snapping Chloe from her thoughts as he answered her question. Sighing a little, she nodded and could only watch as Clark super sped out of her apartment – by the time she took her next breath, he would probably already be in Paris.

That was when it hit her... How would Lois react when she saw Clark Kent at her doorstep? Lois wasn't the type of girl who nursed anger, but with Clark it seemed to be a completely different ball game. Anytime Lois heard the name, even if it wasn't about him directly, she would quickly change the subject to something that couldn't possibly include Clark Kent. He hadn't contacted anybody in Smallville since he was last seen which was, or so Lois claimed, at Jonathan's funeral and what Lois couldn't believe was that he had walked out on his mother. Martha had been devastated with grief after Jonathan's passing, and without Clark there she had practically no one to turn to. Lois knew in her heart she would give anything to have her own mother back, so to see Clark running away from his when she so desperately needed him really made her blood boil…she would always be angry with Clark, no matter what.

The one thought that ran through Chloe's mind as she switched off the lights and retired to bed was that Lois would most likely slam the door on Clark before he even had a chance to speak.

xxx

"I don't want to talk about it, Bob!" Lois shouted in the phone, her anger intensifying more and more as the little man continued to speak. "Bob, look, I'm neither frustrated nor angry that Lucy slipped through the police's fingers. The way I see it: that's what usually happens so it's nothing to be surprised about!" Lois rolled her eyes as his reply, came back to her causing her to wonder how on earth she managed to work with such an incapable team…"Uh-uh, great, Bob. I have to go okay. No, you don't have to come over. I'm fine. No… Bob, I swear if you come over…" She had no choice but to stop with the threat as she was cut off by a small click indicating he had hung up. Lois clenched her jaw and shook her head before hanging up the phone - Bob was just being Bob…her weird, freakishly optimistic but caring friend.

As if on auto pilot, her feet carried Lois into the bedroom so that she could easily collapse exhausted onto her bed. Chasing Lucy was anything but an easy task and because she need to be on a busy schedule of a 24 hour Lucy Watch, she hardly managed to grab herself any rest at all. She would have to take a quick a shower and retire to bed as soon as possible.

But of course, fate had other things planned for her that night.

Lois sighed contentedly as the cool water encompassed her in its gentle and caring grip, slowly allowing her tired limbs to relax and cause them to almost melt underneath the soothing caress of the liquid. If it were up to her, she would stay under the water and bubbles for eternity just relaxing and soaking up the comfort it gave her that she rarely got to experience from any physical being on the planet. However, she knew it could not be and, sooner than she would have liked, Lois reluctantly exited the bathroom clad only in a towel. Before she could make it to her bedroom however, the doorbell rang. She turned around, the door receiving the deadly glare that she was hoping to aim at the stupid person on the other side that dared to come to her door so late…it would probably be Bob. Mumbling and growling irritably to herself she headed over to the door, annoyed that Bob hadn't taken her warning on board and vowing to herself to make sure he paid dearly for it. She opened the door with such force that it was a surprise to her that it didn't come of its hinges.

"Bob, what the hell…?"

Her voice hitched and suddenly the ability to breathe escaped her mind, hiding as she found herself gazing up not at Bob but at Clark Kent…Clark Kent was standing at her doorway…He was actually standing at her doorway! She didn't know whether to be surprised or angry at his arrival, not being able to decide between the two or even able to say his name as the ability to speak seemed to elude her grasp also.

"What are you doing here?" She finally managed to grind out once she found her voice, her tone somewhat hollow and distant.

Clark couldn't help but frown slightly. He knew long before he had reached the apartment that there wasn't exactly going to be a warm reception waiting for him but… No greetings? Was she really that upset?

"Lois," he sighed out as he closed his eyes, "we need to talk about…about my... my abilities. Please…can I come in?" He re-opened his eyes and they shifted to the rest of Lois's body…that was wrapped in a towel…something he didn't even realize until now and he could swear his cheeks were on fire as they started to burn with a deep blush. To say he was relieved on so many levels when, reluctantly, Lois made way for him was an understatement. He came inside quickly and she closed the door behind them, composing himself and focusing so that when he turned, he ensured that he was looking at her squarely in the eyes, trying to ignore the fact that her body looked splendid in the towel. It had been three years since his sudden departure from Smallville, but Clark still desperately loved the strong woman standing before him - she still excited him. She had matured, obviously, from the girl Clark knew in high school and college both physically and mentally but it was also clear to see that she was struggling with the situation she was stuck in, and it killed Clark a little to think that he hadn't been there to help her.

"Clark, look, you know I can keep a secret so you don't have to worry about me exposing you. It's not gonna happen okay?" Lois said abruptly, having gotten impatient with Clark's constant gaze fixed on her. She was not in the best of moods as it was, and Clark was the last person she had wanted to see tonight…even Bob coming over would have been better than this. The only thing that seemed to get Clark's attention, despite calling his name repeatedly, was talking.

"Chloe said that you were a little shocked when she told you." Clark said quickly back, trying to build up a conversation and cover up the fact that he had been lost in thought about her.

"Well, I was a bit shocked, but I'm alright now." She said to him. "I mean, I kind of half expected something along those lines. You guys always acted so weird whenever I asked you how you managed your great feats, something by the way you need to work on covering up if you want this secret to stay that way." Clark still looked unsure, looking even more worried as Lois tried vainly to crack a joke to break the tension between them at the end. With an exasperated sigh, she shook her head. "I'm telling you, Clark, I'm fine with it. So, you're an alien….seriously, what's new?" Clark gave out a short laugh and for the first time in a long while, Lois actually smirked.

The conversation wasn't turning out to be all that bad, and now that the tension had been broken with a few jokes and some smirking at each other….perhaps it could continue to be that way while they talked about some other touchy areas that Lois couldn't wait to address. She didn't hate Clark, she hated being angry with him which only made her more angry because he made her feel that way…she wanted to put an end to this…but she needed to know what was going to happen now.

"And now that you have your assurances…you can just do your amazing speed thing and…disappear again without any warning and leave your loved ones behind." She said a little shakily to which Clark sighed. The tense atmosphere between them instantly returned…the conversation just got unpleasant.

"Lois, I know that you're angry…"

"Angry?!" Lois' head shot up as well as the deep anger she had been trying to contain from the moment she laid eyes on him again. "Anger doesn't even begin to describe what I feel, Clark!" She snapped at him. "You _left_ us. You left us all wondering why. It was frustrating…no…it was terrible and frustrating at the same time! Mrs. Kent, your MOTHER needed you, Clark. You knew that and yet you ignored her like she's worth nothing to you anymore. You don't understand how lucky you are to have a mother like that and it angers me everyday that you left her and she had to suffer because of it!"

"I suffered too, you know!" Clark tried to defend, though he knew with Lois as mad as she was, it was likely he wouldn't get too far with the points he could make…the excuses he could bring up. "Dad's death was hell for me!"

"I'm not talking about Mr. Kent's death; I'm talking about you and your mother!" Lois retorted. "She was distraught when you left…you brought her so much pain during a time when what she needed was to be loved and supported. I had to help her through, I had to try and help her get over the fact that it was likely you were never coming back. But it didn't work and she let me go. But you know what really burns me up?"

She waited until Clark just shook his head silently, looking like he had been kicked repeatedly in the stomach and it had actually hurt him. Swallowing hard, she softened her voice and shook her head, whispering out to him.

"She still thinks her little boy is going to come home to her."

For a while, she let that sink in. She watched the torment and the power that her words had on him…she could see the storm raging behind his eyes and yet she could also see him holding it back. That drive to go home that was in him somewhere was being held back by super strong walls Clark was creating. Lois shook her head and laughed bitterly, practically spitting out at him. "You make me sick, Clark Kent." Turning, she made to walk away from him, but before she knew it, Clark had grabbed her free hand. She whirled back around, glaring up at him.

"Do I really make you sick, Lois?" Clark asked, firmness in his voice that couldn't be messed with. Lois looked up at him, calmly though she wanted nothing more than to shout and scream and rage at him.

"I think you should leave, Clark." She said bitterly, in a tone that Clark could all too easily remember using on her…God, he was such a jackass.

"Just answer the question." Clark said in a softer tone of voice, nearly pleading though Lois' only response was to keep her mouth shut. Swallowing hard, Clark clenched his jaw. "Fine, then I'm not leaving."

Lois's eyes widened, her anger crashing up to boiling point. She pulled her hand forcefully away from his grip and pushed him hard in the chest, though she knew it wouldn't really have an effect on a man seemingly made of steel and not just physically either.

"Oh yes, you are leaving Clark Kent!" She yelled at him, about to attempt to push him towards the door again when he grabbed her hand. "Let go of me!" She shouted furiously, trying desperately now to pull away though she soon gave up when it became apparent it would do no good. Clark took that opportunity of weary stillness to move her soft hand to his cheek.

"Do you remember this?" He softly asked. Again, Lois didn't reply but looked away instead...not something Clark was about to let her get away with again. Slowly, he tucked his finger gently under her chin and lifted it to make her look up at him again. "I love you, Lois." He whispered softly, pulling her just that little bit closer to him. "I always have, always will…" He let the soft whisper trail away into the silence of the apartment and gently leant down until his lips touched hers and they were soon locked in a gentle kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist when she didn't hit him or try and pull away, pulling her closer into his body as he claimed the love and warmth from her that he had so desperately craved.

At first, Lois hadn't responded to the kiss, to the loving embrace. But after feeling the warmth of the kiss emanate through her body, she knew that she had to have more and soon found herself responding with full force, surprising Clark. He had now released her free hand and she wrapped this arm round Clark's neck, pulling him more into her. She stole the chance to run her hand through his soft, wonderful jet black hair, the kiss becoming more and more intense as they both gave in to the passion they had kept bottled up for so long. They were devouring each other, yet their hunger could not be satisfied and they wanted more. Passion engulfed the two, the need for one another too much to bear.

It was only lack of air that caused them to finally break apart but even then their touches kept them locked together, his forehead rested on hers. They were both breathing rapidly, hearts pounding in their chests as they gazed into each others eyes. Clark soon started pressing small, soft, tender kisses to Lois' neck, his lips trailing down to her chest which made her groan in pleasure. Clark couldn't help but smile and continue, loving the sounds that were emitting out of her mouth because of his actions…his touches…his kisses.

"Clark." She sighed. "Clark…please…make love to me."

In that instant, with those words, Clark froze in his tracks and looked up at her.

"Lois…"

She didn't respond but stared into his eyes as she unbuttoned his shirt slowly, sensuously. It wasn't long before he quickly slid it off his muscled shoulders.

"Clark. I want this. I…love you." She whispered, her hands running over his smooth, bare chest. That was all the permission he needed. He slowly unwrapped the towel that was clinging to her body, the only thing that separated them, before gazing at her beautiful body in wonderment. How could he have deprived himself for so long? She was always and would always be Lois but tonight….she was a goddess.

He bent down to kiss her again, picking her up before too long and carrying her into the bedroom, without ever breaking the kiss.

xxx

All too soon, Lois found herself fluttering her eyes open as the sun's warm morning rays hit her. It was only morning and yet the day was already becoming hot and humid. She smiled tiredly as the events of last night began to swarm back into her mind, the most incredible night of her life with the man she loved. Smiling, she looked over to her side expecting to see Clark sleeping soundly.

But….

Clark wasn't there. The smile quickly slipped from her face and her brows furrowed in confusion as she sat up and looked around her room. "Clark?" She called tentatively, slipping on her robe and padding into the living room. There was no Clark sitting on the sofa. She went to the kitchen. There was no Clark making breakfast. He wasn't in the bathroom either. Where could he…?

Reality then hit her like a ton of bricks.

He had left her again. He left her that night after they made love. He left her thinking she finally had him. He left…without saying good-bye. Tears were threatening to fall. She fell to the ground. He didn't care about her. He didn't love her. Tears fell down her cheeks and she shook slightly.

She had been betrayed.

Betrayed by the man she loved.

xxx


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